The Government of India has come up with a scheme to make Indian forces more young and proficient with new technology. This will help in reducing the average age in the army from 32 years to 26 years. Due to which there will be more and more youth in the Indian Army and many youth will also get employment. The name of this scheme is Agnipath Scheme. This scheme was announced on June 16, 2022. The soldiers joining the army under this scheme will be known as ‘Agniveer’.
What is Agnipath Scheme
This is a government scheme in which applicants will be recruited for the post of Agniveer in all the three services of the Armed Forces, Army, Navy and Air Force. This recruitment will be for 04 years, out of which only 25 percent youth will be given permanent recruitment. The remaining 75 percent youth will be given a certificate of technical qualification along with some money. Which will help them to get jobs in other fields in future. Apart from this, these candidates can also apply as a volunteer for recruitment in regular cadre.
Eligibility for Agnipath scheme
Under this scheme, candidates of 17 to 23 years will be considered eligible. Educational Qualification will be 10th pass. It is necessary to pass 10th examination with 45% marks. Must have at least 33% marks in all subjects.
Annual income of Agniveer
Under the Agnipath scheme, youths will receive a monthly amount of Rs 30,000, out of which Rs 9,000 will be deducted and deposited into their savings account. The Army will also deposit an equal amount into their savings. Additionally, they will receive a first-year package of Rs 4.76 lakh and a second-year package of Rs 6.92 lakh. As their salary increases, their savings will also increase. Upon leaving the army after 4 years, they will receive a service fund of Rs 11,70,000. They will also be awarded a certificate, which will enhance their employability. Furthermore, Agniveers will be provided with a non-payment life insurance policy worth Rs 48 lakh.
Reason for opposing The Agnipath scheme
This scheme introduced by the Central Government caused a lot of anger among many young people, leading to widespread protests where they damaged property and set things on fire. Government had been preparing to recruit new people into the army for a long time. Many people had been working hard to prepare for these opportunities, but they felt disappointed when the government included all the previous recruits in the new Agnipath scheme. This made those who were too old to qualify for the new scheme feel really upset. They had been waiting anxiously to find out if they would get the jobs they had applied for before. This made them even more against the new scheme. They argued that they had put in a lot of effort to join the army, and they wondered how they could protect the country properly in just four years.
